Hello PawSox Fans!

After the day game yesterday it was time for my first road trip of the 2012 season. Once again it was a very exciting game at McCoy as the 2012 PawSox attempted to make franchise history by winning 10 straight. The team fell just short. Although a bit disappointed we must all take solace that the PawSox remain in first place.

The PawSox clubhouse crew washes and packs all the uniforms. Gather up all the equipment and gets it all loaded on the Penske truck. It’s time to head to Columbus, Ohio. Today was an off day so I didn’t have to be in Columbus until Friday morning. I have a full day’s cushion, unlike most of the road trips where we play the next day and have to hustle to our destination. The downside for the trip it will be solo. I will miss my travel partner and friend Lou.

I always look forward to going to Columbus. The Columbus Clippers have an awesome staff. The Director of Clubhouse Operations George Robinson has become a great friend and I’m looking forward to seeing him and the rest of the staff. I pack up a few sandwiches and soft drinks and head out about 6:30.

During the drive I anxiously await the updates of the Bruins game. Traffic is light and it’s a nice ride. I stop for my first gas stop well into Connecticut. The price is $4.17 a gallon. As you go from state to state you notice the disparity in gas prices. After the truck is filled up, I attempt to grab the receipt with my slim and nimble fingers. When I attempt to grab it that little door pops off and falls to the ground. I try to fish the thing out but just can’t get a hold of the thing. After a couple of minutes and becoming more frustrating I head to the female attendant who was yapping on the phone.

I knock on the window to get her attention and she looks at me and raises up her index finger telling me one minute. I explained to her that I needed a receipt because the receipt dispenser at the pump was broken. She told me that she had just tried to fix it. I had picked up the little door thing and handed it to her so she could take another shot at it. I leave her and the broken thing in my rearview. You see that white sliver…that’s the receipt!

It begins to drizzle a bit and then a pretty steady downpour. Once over the Tappan Zee Bridge I pull into a truck stop and get some rest. Being this is a very informative blog, have you ever wondered how the name Tappan Zee came about? Actually, the full name of the bridge is the Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge. Tappan is the name of an Indian tribe from the area and Zee is a Dutch word for sea. There you have it!

After a very nice rest and meeting some pretty cool truckers who really love what they do it was time to have at it and continue my journey. When chatting with the truckers it’s incredible the miles they log. One of the truckers I met was hauling exercise equipment to a warehouse in New Haven, Connecticut. He started his trek from Seattle! Their trucks become their home. They have those sleeper cabs complete with TV, radio and microwave. I tell them the only sleeper cab I have is in the back of the truck trying to get comfortable on a bunch of equipment bags and hope that I don’t suffocate.

The weather is clear and it’s time to refuel. I pull off the highway and into this all night gas station. Price of gas here is $3.47 per gallon. I fill up and head in to get a coffee. Once inside I see the guy behind the counter is dressed head to toe in Nascar gear. He talking loudly with another guy there behind the counter about hours worked. The guy is smoking a cigarette behind the counter and I wonder to myself if this is allowed or he just doesn’t care. The other guy leaves and this guy starts reading a paper. I put my coffee, a cheese danish and a pack of gum on the counter. The guy doesn’t make eye contact with me and continues reading the paper. He glances and my items, punches a few keys on the register and tells me, “That’ll be $3.61.” He grabs the five I put on the counter still reading the paper. I have a strong urge to ask him what he’s reading that’s so important but I keep my yap shut. When he hands me my change he glances at me without a word and its back to the paper.

I was able to get the receipt out of the pump without incident and learn that I was in Snow Shoe, Pennsylvania. I never knew a there was a place on this planet with a name like that. I had to know more. I later learn that Snow Shoe is a small borough near Stone College, Pa. Its only 0.6 Square miles with a population of 765 people.

I think of Providence which is about 20.5 square miles with a population of 178,042.

That’s a cool part about the travel. You get to see and learn about these little towns you never knew existed. I take the ramp and head back onto the highway. Its almost 4 in the morning and traffic is light with the exception of my fellow truckers.

I’m cruising along with the music cranking and me singing wondering if I should be one of the PawSox Idol contestants. The dreaded “Z-Monster” is not hanging onto my eyelids and I am well ahead of schedule! I hear this beeping sound and wonder what it was. My attention gets focused on my fuel gauge with a light advising of Low Fuel! Ut Oh! The needle is on the E as you can plainly see!

I hit the GPS to find the nearest gas station. I see that the closest station is about 4 miles away…behind me! Panic begins to set in. I continue on, trying to ignore the beeping and the light. Suddenly I am smack dab in the middle of a construction area and traffic is bumper to bumper. Traffic begins to move slowly and in the distance I see a gas sign. I cross my fingers and hope to make it. As the heavy construction equipment gets out of the way, traffic starts flowing again. The beeping and light is driving me mad. I get off the exit and the gas station is in sight! My stress was quickly relieved when I pulled up to the pump, filled ‘er up, and headed to my destination.

I’m only a couple of hours away from Huntington Park and give George a call to let him know I’m very close by and well ahead of schedule. The weather is rainy and drab and I’m glad the team isn’t playing today.

I take the exit to downtown and in a few minutes I’m at the beautiful Huntington Park. I see the Championship Banner showing “Back to Back” titles in 2010 and 2011. I recall last season while in team President Ken Schnacke’s office I told him that a championship banner would be hanging at McCoy at the end of the season. He replied, “Nah, we’re going back to back!” He was right! I can’t wait to have one of those championship banners hanging at McCoy in the near future. Could 2012 be the year?

I head in the door and there is the familiar face of Marvin Dill. A short while later George meets us and after hugging it out we decide that I will keep the truck there and use the Clippers van. I can head to the hotel and get some rest. I get to see some of the staff that was there, and cant wait to see them all tomorrow.

The team flies in tomorrow around noonish and I will use the van to shuttle them from the hotel to the park. Looking forward to the game tomorrow and seeing baseball historian Joe Santry.

As much as I like these folks, I hope the PawSox sweep the Clippers and start a new winning streak. The PawSox return home on Monday, May 7^th. Go to pawsox.com to follow the game via the gameday. Hope to see you back at McCoy on May 7^th.  You can see firsthand that we are…..”Here For You!”

Love to hear from you…

Yours in Baseball,

Rick Medeiros      rickm@pawsox.com

Hello PawSox Fans!

What a fantastic day at McCoy Stadium! The weather was just right, the season ticket holders enjoyed their annual BBQ and the PawSox won again leaving them in sole possession of first place!

The day started at McCoy very early. The Shred-It trucks were there to destroy all the personal documents you had for free. I arrived just about 7:30 and there was already a line. The line continued to grow.

As the line swelled the Shred-It folks said it was the largest crowd they ever had. Although it was scheduled to go until 11:00 am they went into extra innings and continued shredding.

It was time to open the gates for the inaugural Bark in the Park. The dogs were allowed to go into the Red Tent BBQ area. There were treats, key chains and other trinkets handed out by the sponsors. It was truly awesome. Fun Enterprises was on hand to take free photos of dogs bearing the PawSox logo. The dogs and their owners were having a great time.

There was a Dog Parade along the warning track:

Pet Butler was on hand just in case it was “That time to Go.”

Water bowls were always available for the thirsty pooches like this guy.

There were big dogs:

Little dogs:

Shy dogs:

Dogs that posed:

There were dogs and owners that were friends:

There were dogs that enjoyed the bleachers:

And some that chose the fence:

There were families with a couple of dogs:

There were dogs with spots:

Others with just one spot:

There were hot dogs:

And there were hot dogs:

Dogs and owners had a fun and exciting time at the game. Once the game was over, although the PawSox won, some of the dogs were sad to leave.

Before leaving, the dogs and their owners commented on how the PawSox are always……”Here For You!”

I would love to hear from you. I’m still getting the hang of the Twitter craze at rollwithrick.

Yours in Baseball

Rick Medeiros                rickm@pawsox.com

Hello PawSox Fans!

Baseball is in the air! Like peanut butter and jelly, ham and cheese, cool guys and mustaches, summertime and baseball just go together!

Opening Night was a fun night. About 9,000 fans filled McCoy to watch the PawSox play their first game of the 2012 season. Like every opening night since 9/11/201 the Police and Fire departments throughout the area were honored as part of the opening ceremonies.

The 2012 PawSox team is definitely exciting. They won the home opener and looked good doing so. Unfortunately they lost the next few games by just 1 run and never show signs of giving up. On the Saturday before Easter Sunday there was a double header. In between games candy was tossed all around the outfield for those fans 12 and under to grab. The candy sprawled out onto the field was quite a sight! There had to be thousands packs of candy.

I figured by the time the young ones collected all that candy it would be about a half hour. Was I ever wrong…within 4 minutes the hundreds of youngsters had the field spotless! I had a thought. If you need weeding in your yard, perhaps you could round up some neighbor kids, toss candy all over your lawn and let them have at it. Just a thought.

The homestand concluded with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. When the Iron Pigs come to town it’s always popular with the autograph collectors who await the arrival of their manager Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. He usually accommodates everyone each day.

The PawSox come back home to play on April 20^th to take on the Durham Bulls. On the 21^st the PawSox annual Shred-It event will take place in the parking lot. This is a free event beginning at 8:00am and running until 11:00am. It’s a great opportunity to shred all you confidential and/or personal documents.

At game time that day it will be the PawSox Inaugural “Bark in the Park!” Bring your dog to a game! All dogs will be able to enjoy the game and socialize in the Red Tent BBQ area along right field. Please note that there is no BBQ that evening in the Red Tent. We wouldn’t want our furry friends taking in too many burgers and hotdogs! Of course one of my Jack Russell’s will be there.

In case you didn’t know, for a couple of days for the next homestand exit 28 off route 95 traveling north will be closed for the work on the new Pawtucket Bridge. However, here is no need to worry! The PawSox in conjunction with the Rhode Island DOT, the Bridge workers, the City of Pawtucket and a slew of others are making certain that it will b easy to still get to McCoy. An additional 6 police officers will be around the City of Pawtucket to easily guide you to the stadium. Exit 28 is the most popular exit. You may even find a better way to the McCoy!

Throughout the whole project we attend meetings regularly with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, Contractors, Engineers, Police, etc…to keep updated on the project. We receive a weekly update of any detours and closures which will be passed on to our fans via pawsox.com and eblasts.

Paws discussed the construction with a detail Pawtucket Police Officer.

Traveling on 95 north, you can take either Exit 27 or 29.

Take Exit 27 and follow McCoy Stadium Signs.

Take Exit 29 and you have two Options. Paws is showing bearing left or right gets you to McCoy in a few minutes. Just follow the McCoy Stadium signs posted all along the way.

Traveling on 95 South coming in from Massachusetts, you can take exit 2A. Once off the exit continue traveling south where you will see the Entering Pawtucket, Rhode Island sign and follow the McCoy Stadium signs.

Traveling in the same direction as above, you can also take exit 29. Once off the exit. You’ll come to a stop sign continue straight and you’ll see a McCoy Stadium sign. Follow the signs to the fun.

To our fans traveling from the Greater Fall River area, including New Bedford, Fairhaven, Somerset, Swansea, etc… there is a quicker way to avoid the George Washington Bridge in Providence. Take 195 East to Exit 1 route 144A. At the end of the exit bear right and continue on 144A north.

Continue on until you reach the fork in the road at the Old Grist Mill.

Bear left, the Old Grist Mill will be on your right.

When you approach the junction on Route 44 continue straight on 114A.

Continue straight. Not long after you will come to a traffic light and Route 1A sign with the arrow pointing right. Bear right there and you are mere moments away!

You will pass Slater Park on your right, and just up ahead is a traffic light and on the left corner is a Quizno’s and Dominos. Take a left there onto Columbus Avenue. Drive on Columbus for a short distance and you will see beautiful McCoy Stadium on your right. Paws will be there to greet you!

The PawSox goal is to provide every fan the easiest and most stress free drive to the ball park. We are very fortunate to have so many ways to get to the stadium so traffic jams will not become a problem. Check the pawsox.com website often for any construction updates or feel free to call. Think of all the ways to get to McCoy, it truly is incredible. Although it’s just one exit that will be closed at a time, the PawSox want to take a proactive approach to ensure fans know all the routes. This type of proactive attitude shows once again we are………”Here For You!”

Feel free to contact me should you have any questions. Thanks

Also, I now have a twitter account. I am new to twitter world and still trying to figure it all out. I know you can follow me at rollwithrick on Twitter.

Would love to hear from you at rickm@pawsox.com

Yours in Baseball,

Rick Medeiros

Hello PawSox Fans!

One week! Seven Short Days until McCoy Stadium opens the gates to begin the PawSox 2012 exciting and fun filled season!

It seemed that time flew by and now here we are 1 short week away! You can see and hear the hustle and bustle of the Operations Crew making sure everything is in working order and clean. Seats and lights are checked. The rest rooms are cleaned and ready to go. The concession stands are ready for the crowds! The PawSox are ready to welcome the fans for the 2012 Season!

Gary and others are busy power washing the stadium and concourse areas. They all do a great job!

You will also see some new faces on the PawSox Ushering Team.

For those who rent or attend a game in the hospitality suites, you will notice new tiles and cabinets. Everything looks fantastic! One of the largest new items you will see is the left field scoreboard.

The new scoreboard was installed recently and it was quite interesting to see the old scoreboard laying on the ground and getting a glance at the computer boards and other electronic parts that made it work.

 

It did look odd looking out onto the field and seeing that large empty hole!

It took some work to get the new scoreboard to fit. It now fits perfectly!

The PawSox are ready to go! Don’t forget to get your tickets to Opening Night on April 5^th!  Its time! See you at the game………..we are all ready to be………”Here For You”

Yours in Baseball,

Rick Medeiros                        rickm@pawsox.com

Hello PawSox Fans!

            We are now heading down the homestretch to opening day.  You can feel the baseball excitement now that spring training is underway. It has been a while since my last blog; it has been a busy few weeks.

            It has been one of the mildest winters on record and I’m ready for it to be over. You know what they say about living in New England…”If you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes.” Although in truth it’s more than a few minutes, what a difference a day makes. One day it’s pushing 60 degrees and the next we have a little snow storm that blanketed McCoy Stadium.

            The prior evening I attended an event at Gillette Stadium and looking down on the field thought about the Patriots playing in all kinds of weather.

 If there was a game this evening, the players would be sloshing around in the snow. The fans all bundled up in the stands, ignoring the weather and cheering on their team. Not for me. I prefer the sunshine and warm weather of baseball.

Spending time with Paws is always an awesome time as we get to meet fans, young and old, from all around the area. We attended Mardi Gras Madness in Brockton which was a fantastic time. The Hot Tamale Band was doing it up New Orleans style!

This guy on a unicycle did some juggling, however as you can see by the juggling clubs spewed on the floor, there was an, “Oops”

 

Paws attempted to juggle but his nose kept getting in the way.

He did manage to take to the dance floor with the Jester.

Paws also attended some of the home shows in the area, heading to North Kingstown for the South County Home Show.

The next day we headed to New Bedford for their Home Show. Paws met with Robyn from the New Bedford Chamber and thanked her for the invite.

He took a quick cooking class and put together a delicious healthy fruit salad.

Of course he had to stop by his favorite animal shelter Forever Paws. He loves that name and spent some time with Scooby!

Paws is looking forward to getting the season underway. Paws and Sox have their own spring training routine. The PawSox Staff is in full speed ahead. Kevin is working day and night getting the Media Guide together. The media guide is used by every radio broadcaster and sports reporter. It must be very accurate and up to date. It has to be proof read for any misspelled words. The media guide is also available for sale in the team store. It’s a very valuable tool for the baseball fan.

Bonnie also works those long hours putting together the PawSox 2012 Souvenir Program. Just like the media guide it has to be accurate. She also is responsible for getting the sponsors advertisements just right. Here she is working on the Boston Red Sox page.  

In case you haven’t heard, there will be a concert at McCoy on July 5^th with the band FURTHUR.

Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, former members of the Grateful Dead are now playing in their new band and it’s looking like it will be a fantastic night of some old school rock and roll.

Grab your tie dye out of the basement and join us for this show. It will be a fun evening!

Baseball and music always seem to go hand in hand. Make sure you have tickets for the 2012 season. Come out to the best ball park in all the land….McCoy Stadium. Getting tickets has never been easier! Call, go online or right at the box office. Look forward to seeing you in about 3 weeks……Looking very forward to being…..”Here For You!”

I would love to hear from you.

 

Yours in Baseball

Rick Medeiros          rickm@pawsox.com

Hello PawSox Fans!

As we all know Red Sox Nation is world-wide. Daily we meet people from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut who are PawSox fans that make several trips to McCoy during the season. There are companies that host their annual events with a BBQ, group outing or a hospitality suite. There are groups of relatives and friends who purchase the discounted group tickets and head out for a fun night with the PawSox. But what about our neighbors to the north?

Maine has the Portland Seadogs, the Double A team for Boston, but what about New Hampshire and Vermont? Through the years I have met fans at McCoy Stadium from New Hampshire and Vermont, but wondered just how it would be to jump in the PawsMobile and head there to see for myself. On Saturday before the sun was up I jumped in the PawsMobile and headed north. While everyone seems to be heading south for spring training, I chose the opposite direction.

Before long I enter New Hampshire. It’s a gorgeous day with the sun shining.

Being that I left before the sun came up, I feel those hunger pangs and in need of some vittles. Soon I find the ideal place. The Swanzey Diner located where else? Swanzey, N.H.

  I park the van and head in. As I was heading in I met this very nice couple who arrived at the same time, Ryan and Kay who are PawSox fans! Ryan told me he has been to McCoy and I knew he was on the level because he even explained how he liked the berm area. Once inside it was just as I expected, very friendly where everyone knew each other. I was met by Judy who told me to sit anywhere I’d like. After taking my order and being certain my coffee cup was always full, Judy returned with this fantastic omelet with home fries mixed with onions. It was one of the best I ever ate.

 I bid farewell to my new friends, Ryan, Kay and Judy and head out. It didn’t take long at all to find a few PawSox fans up north!

Now I have a few new friends and a full belly and enjoying the postcard type scenery. The mountains are tremendous, although I do enjoy the comfortable heat inside the van.

Not long after, I’m in Vermont.

I pass the Vermont Kissing Bridge, since I am solo this bridge does not affect me at all!

I see Bear Crossing signs and I hope to see one. With that said, I want to see one from a distance, not one making any attempt to gain entrance to the PawsMobile to share the heat and check if Paws was in the van.

All along the way I meet some fantastic people. A lot wearing Red Sox gear. At a Country Store I met Mike who was wearing a PawSox cap! Driving through a small town, an American Legion Hall is having a Chicken BBQ. Right on the side of the road they have this huge grill set up and one of the fellas doused the chicken with special sauce from a sprayer.

It’s right on the side of the road in a parking spot. Inside the hall everyone is enjoying the feast.

I stop by Okemo Mountain. My skiing career lasted one weekend a long time ago. While in high school I had a couple of friends who were members of the ski club. Against my better judgement I gave into peer pressure and decided to give it a try. I enjoyed water skiing very much and quite frankly did it very well. There can’t be that much of a difference can there? Indeed there is. After purchasing new boots, skis and poles I was ready. The bus ride and time with friends was a fun time. Skiing was not! I made the decision to skip any type of lessons or instructions and headed right to the slopes with my friends. Big mistake. My first time didn’t go very well at all. After going about 14 feet my skis crossed and I fell and tumbled a bit. The second time was even worse as I tumbled down the side of the mountain for what seemed like hours. Once I got all the snow out of my shirt, pants, ears, nose, mouth, etc…I took my skis off got the ski lift back to the top, and sold my skis and poles to some guy. My boots I gave to a friend a few days later. However, I do enjoy watching people swoosh down the mountain.

In Vermont with the PawsMobile where would one stay? The Answer….The Paw House!

The Paw House is a beautiful Bed & Breakfast that not only caters to their human guests but also your dog(s). The rooms have smaller doggie beds and during the summer months they even have outside movies for the dogs and the families. I have a great love for dogs, not only my own, but for all. I meet with the owner Mitch. He’s what you’d consider a very knowledgeable and dedicated Red Sox fan. He loves them! We spent time chatting a bit about the Sox and he explained how he would like to see Daniel Bard giving a chance as a starter. He admits that he has never been to McCoy and has heard nothing but great things about it. He promises to get there during the 2012 season. He also wants to give away a free night to his establishment to a lucky PawSox fan. Stay tuned as the details get worked out. More Sox fans were located up north with Mitch and his crew!

Its time to call it a day and get some rest. I do some reading, watch some TV and call it a night. I get a somewhat early start to head back home. I learn there is a snow and ice festival in Keene, N.H. so decide to swing by on the way back. In downtown Keene local business have ice sculptures outside their businesses.

They have activities for the kids that include a train ride and a small snow hill for them to go snow tubing.

Many people take photos standing alongside the PawsMobile. More Sox fans! It has been a fantastic trip up north. I learn there is a Saint Bernard day at Wachusett Mountain and want to check it. It’s right on the way home, so why not. As I watch people swooshing down the slopes I make my way over to the dogs. The New England Saint Bernard Club was there with their magnificent huge dogs! It was fun to make one last stop before heading back.

 

After getting back home today in the afternoon, I felt very thankful that we have such an awesome ballpark and team right in our own backyard! Although Red Sox Nation is world-wide, we are very fortunate to have them so close. Going to a PawSox game is always a fun experience. The excitement is building as we approach the homestretch for opening day. Looking very forward to seeing my new friends from up north during the 2012 season. They will also have a chance to see that we are………….”Here For You!”

Would love to hear from you…

Yours in Baseball,

Rick Medeiros                        rickm@pawsox.com

      Hello PawSox Fans!

 

      It was Valentine’s Day PawSox style on Monday and Tuesday as Paws headed out to deliver roses, tickets and a new PawSox cap to the lucky recipients on this day of affection!

     I was the chauffeur, and Monday we headed to Acton, MA. to deliver 18 bundles of love to teachers. Paws spent a lot of time with the kids doing some dancing and giving them all a high-five. Needless to say, the teachers were all surprised seeing the Big Furry One head into their classroom and hand them all their goodies!

  

     It was surprise…

     After surprise….

 

      We headed to downtown Providence where Paws spread some more love and joy then took a stroll…

        Paws made a delivery to some young PawSox fans…

     We were treated to some great piano playing by the young girl who played very well! Paws did his best to help, but hit every sour note…

 

      Paws covered the young girls eyes with his huge paw and she continued on without missing a beat!

      Paws even delivered roses package to Durfee High School during half-time of the basketball game!

 

         He also posed for photos with the cheerleaders.

   

      Valentine’s Day is special for so many people. It’s also a very special day for the baseball fan who knows the equipment trucks are warming up to head south for spring training. Baseball is in the air!  You can feel it!

    Please check out the PawSox website at pawsox.com and check out all the pictures, videos and information. Be certain to check out the “45 Minutes to Fenway” blog from new radio broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith. It’s always a great read and I am a huge fan.

  So far it’s been a relatively mild winter and I dont mind it a bit and hope it continues. Opening night is approaching at a good clip so make sure you’re ready! Get tickets at the website, online or give us a call at 401-724-7300. We will help you in any way. As you well know…we are…”Here For You!”

  I would love to hear from you!

   Yours in Baseball,

   Rick Medeiros           rickm@pawsox.com

Hello PawSox Fans,

Just in case you havent heard, PawSox Team President Mike Tamburro was elected into the International League Hall of Fame at the end of last month. Mike joins former PawSox elites Wade Boggs, Joe Morgan, Jim Rice and the late PawSox owner Ben Mondor. For those who know Mike, you see the passion he has for the PawSox and the fans. During any game you can find Mike walking throughout the stadium meeting fans and taking the time to chat. For nearly 40 years he and Mr. Mondor pioneered what has become one of the best minor league franchises in the country. A record-breaking 5 time International League executive of the Year, the Hall of Fame honor was indeed earned and deserved. We all offer Mike T. Congrats!

As for the Patriots last evening, it was anything but a hall of fame game for the fans. Watching the game there were so many levels of emotions. On the first play Tom Brady drops back and flings a pass into nowhere land. After a brief conference, the ref tosses the yellow flag for a grounding penalty. Anxiety quickly sets in as they have to kick the ball away. Only those with the number 2 for the football pool have a bit of a consultation.

Before the half is over, the Pats march down the field and take the lead and the excitement of another championship suddenly seems likely! Super Bowl parties are always an awesome time. Mike and Mel hosted another Super party! A slew of great friends and a ton of fantastic food make the game enjoyable and takes the sting out just a bit of the painful loss. Almost everyone is wearing Pats gear. Mel welcomes everyone to the party by flashing her Bruschi shirt.

  Brenda sent a photo of Vegas and Fenway ready for the game!

 There are other furry friends who want to enjoy the Puppy Bowl..

  

 Every kind of food is available! Shrimp, dips, sweets and everything in between. For the appetizers there is home cooked real french fries and ribs.

   The Cheerleaders do their best to cheer on the Pats!

When Welker is unable to hold onto the pass, there is sadness amongst us

  Mike begins the process for the clam/little neck boil. First poured into the monster pot is some fresh water, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, abit of wine and beer. Once that starts to simmer in goes the ’taters and onions.

Time for the hot dogs 

Step by step it all comes together nicely!

     Can one ever have a clam boil without some Portuguese Chorico?  IMPOSSIBLE!

 

     The little necks have been soaked, cleaned and now ready to place atop all the items placed in the monster pot. 

     Once the game is over, we all indulge in some “Comfort Food.”  Being with such fine folks and fantastic food makes it a little easier as we all go back to the old New England adage, “Wait’ll Next Year!”  

    It was certainly an exciting season for the New England Patriots. Some so-called experts said the Pats would never make it through the first round. It was a close game. A bounce that goes their way, if Welker catches that pass, if they recover the fumble with only 11 guys on the field, it could have been a different outcome.

  One outcome you can always count on is having a great time at McCoy Stadium. On Friday evening I had dinner with some of the PawSox Season Ticket Holders. As always there are lots of laughs and fun stories!

    We are another day closer to opening day on April 5th, 2012. Visit pawsox.com right now for the schedule and some of the special events and promotions. Dont forget to grab some flex tickets for the 2012 season. If you have any questions, please call 401-724-7300 and a PawSox staff will be more than happy to assist you. Come see and chat with our season tickets holders and I bet they will all tell you we are………”Here For You!”

I would love to hear from you!

     Yours in Baseball,

      Rick Medeiros               rickm@pawsox.com 

Hello PawSox Fans!

As long as this somewhat mild winter lasts, I’ll take it! With that being said I’m sure that we have a few storms ahead of us but we all must remember that with each passing day we are one day closer to Opening Night at McCoy Stadium on April 5th.

I know in the past I have discussed what the PawSox staff does during the off-season. We all prepare for the next season. A part of preparing is getting out in the community meeting PawSox fans and getting feed back from what they like and what the PawSox could do to improve. If you were at this years Hot Stove Party, Team President Mike Tamburro and General Manager Lou Schwechheimer hosted a “Town Meeting” in the visitors clubhouse to listen to what the fans had to say.

Networking with businesses in the region is also an important component of off-season prep. The PawSox belong to almost every Chamber of Commerce in the region. The staff attend many Chamber events. Every week, area chambers have breakfast meetings, business luncheons and on set days throughout the month, they will host a Business After Hours.

These events are held and various businesses throughout the region. At these events you get to meet with business owners and their employees from every business known to mankind. From the president of a bank, to a young man who has a successful dog walking business, its hard to find someone who isn’t a fan of going to McCoy regardless of what team they cheer for.

At these events, you get to speak with full season ticket and flex ticket holders. You ask if they had any issues and/or concerns the previous season. You also spend time with sponsors who did some advertising withe the PawSox and be certain they were happy. At all the events you have an opportunity to discuss all the group outing options the PawSox have. The BBQ area, the Suites or just a group coming out to a game and the discounted group rate. I always enjoy meeting new people and of course chatting with PawSox fans.

Let me give you an example of what a few of these networks events are like. On Wednesday I attended a business after hours for the New Bedford area Chamber of Commerce. It was hosted by Carlos Maderia the owner of Cotali Mar, a Portuguese restaurant in New Bedford. It was my first time there, and the food was great! At every event there is always food! (Please keep all those comments to yourself) At every business after hours event, you put your business card in a bowl and they have a drawing to giveaway goods or services. On this night, it’s a $25 gift certificate for the restaurant. I was happy to hear the owner say my name as he pulled out the winning card!

On Thursday, Fall River Chamber business after hours was hosted by Rick Torres and held at his dealership in Fall River. As you can see there was plenty of good food and even a little sting band.

   You can see that these events are well attended.

 

  The owner Rick Torres is giving away a flat screen TV! Unfortunately, I don’t win it, but had a great time anyway. 

    On Friday, the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce covering Norton, Mansfield and Foxboro has their Annual Awards luncheon held this year at the Holiday Inn in Mansfield. I get to meet a lot of new PawSox fans and business owners interested in having an outing at McCoy. Seated at the same table as me is PawSox full season ticket holder Dave Santoro. Dave is surprised to learn he wins the Tri-Town Ambassador of the Year Award. Great Job Dave!

  The guest speaker for the luncheon is Josh Kraft the son of New England Patriot owner Bob Kraft. He talks about his mentoring program for inner city and at risk youth. Of course ending his speech with a great big GO PATS!

    Speaking of the Pats, the Super Bowl is one week away. I feel pretty confident the Pats bring Lombardi home! If you recall a couple of years ago while in Indianapolis I went to Lucas Oil Field. I had a chance to go onto the field of play and secretly cast a spell that will always favor the Patriots when they play at the venue. I hope the spell has not worn off.
 

 

     Remember, another day closer to Opening Night! You wont want to miss the fun and exciting season ahead. Visit pawsox.com for all promotions and special events. We look forward to seeing you there. I’d love to hear from you and never forget that we are………..:”Here For You!”

Yours in Baseball,

Rick Medeiros                  rickm@pawsox.com

 

Hello PawSox Fans!

Last evening, Thursday,  was the 73rd Annual Baseball Writers Award Dinner held at the Westin Copely Hotel in Boston. We always look forward to this fantastic event. We choose a meeting point and it’s decided we would meet at Dave & Busters in Braintree right near the South Shore Plaza. Upon arrival there, new PawSox Broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith takes the lead and heads in. As everyone knows by now, Aaron has replaced Dan Hoard. There were more than 150 applicants for gig and Aaron was the one that got the job. We all wish him the best, and welcome him into the PawSox Family.

It appears Aaron fits right in and digs into the “Mountain of Nachos.”

We all enjoy some wings, sliders, fries, snap peas, and what was left of the nachos once Aaron was done ripping into them. We get our tickets and head off to Boston.

We arrive at the hotel a short while later. They are not bashful in charging around 30 bucks for parking. We make our way up the escalators where we are greeted by a Ragtime Band and Wally the Green Monster.

Also, a pretty impressive sight of this young lady painted entirely in this silver tone color. She was walking by and when I asked for a photo she immediately froze. Well done!

Everyone is gathered outside the ballroom for the time being. They have Cracker Jack and Popcorn. The sportswriters are gathered around and a lot of the discussion is not only baseball, but also the upcoming Pats game. Here Sean McAdam and Nick Cafardo chat it u with some folks. McAdam will be introducing the head table.

I head into the ballroom where the event will take place. It’s still empty, but I do see this years award winner for Red Sox Rookie of the Year Josh Reddick. I congratulate Josh on his award and will miss his knowledge on country music. Josh is heading to Oakland for the 2012 season and we wish him luck. He is talking with another award winner of the Good Guy Award, Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

The dais is presently empty, but soon will be filled with the award winners and presenters. They have a big screen on either side that’s used to play videos for some of the award winners.

I find our table….number 18. Great location. I stake my claim on a seat. However, I do have an eye on those dinner rolls across from me.

One of the annual attendees at the event is Lynn. Always dressed in her Red Sox duds!

After McAdam announces the head table, Sports Guy Karl Ravech takes over as the emcee for the event. He introduces the whole head table.

I Check the menu and realize I have never had what they are serving. First it was the salad.

I was curious to learn what a roasted bosc pear timbale blue cheese, etc….was all about!  I soon found out! A small mix of edible ingredients that you pour the emulsion on. Prior to this evening I always called it dressing. Perhaps I need to get out more. Its served on a flat plate, requiring you to use a piece of the dinner roll to prevent the escape of any of the ingredients off the side of the plate. It was very good.

While waiting for the entrée there is an autograph session for those 16 and under. PawSox catcher Ryan Lavarnway and former PawSox pitcher Tommy Hottovy are both getting awards this evening. Ryan for Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year and Tommy is being presented with the Lou Gorman Award. Hottovy will be spending the 2012 season in the KC Royals organization.

Red Sox General Manager Ben Cherington and Big Papi David Ortiz seem to be in a serious conversation.

It’s time for the entrée. Once again, I never heard or eaten what I read from the menu…

Here it is!  I still don’t get the “New Potatoes” Thing. They look like home fries to me!

The program gets underway. They show a great video of Josh Reddick before he gets presented his award. I get a shot of his big bubble in the dugout!

Reddick accepts his award and thanks the Sox for everything and in his parting words lets us all know he will be at Fenway with Oakland to beat the Sox at the end of April.

Do you think Big Papi just let new Red Sox Manager Bobby Valentine know he is going to slug 75 home runs?

John McDonald gets the Ben Mondor New England Player of the Year Award. John played for the Jays and was traded in August to the Diamondbacks. It’s a beautiful award.

One of my favorite Red Sox Players Jim Lonborg was there for the Special Achievement Award. I remember my dad taking me to Fenway Park for the first time when I was 7 years old. On my 10th birthday, Dad and I went to a game at Fenway and I got to meet and shake hands with Mr. Lonborg. Before getting his award, he chats a bit with Tom Werner.

Every year Gentleman Jim Lonborg comes to a game with a large group of adults and kids. Time for you to get your tickets also! Call 401-724-7300 or visit pawsox.com.

The event was an awesome time. Sharing some food I’ve never had before with some great co-workers. It was time to head back. One of the guys gets a call from his wife saying it’s snowing hard in RI, yet here in Boston there is no sign of any snow. That all changed as I was traveling down route 24. After leaving Braintree there were a few flakes. It got progressively worse as I continued. This was the view I had!

I was able to travel at a speed of 12-21 mph!  Of course you always have those knuckleheads with their 4 wheel drive thinking they can just plow through at a high rate of speed. As I was maneuvering my way along a straight portion if the highway, this four-wheel drive past going too fast. I thought to myself, “It’s only a matter of time.”  It was actually a very short matter of time. As the driver passed another vehicle you could see it fishtail and start to spin. The driver was unable to gain control of the vehicle and as I passed saw the front end of their vehicle crushed against the median guard rail. I was going to stop and make sure everyone was alright and was in the process of pulling over and saw this guy get out wearing a t-shirt and a Yankee hat. He started the kicking the guard rail and throwing his arms in the air. Figuring he was ok, I continued on my way.

Always use caution driving in the snow. I am not a snow lover and hope this is all the snow we get. However, I am a warm day/night person and hope for every PawSox home game is played in great weather. Come on out to McCoy, don’t forget the Flex Tickets! Join the fun and see firsthand that we are…………”Here For You!”

Would love to hear from you!

Yours in Baseball

Rick Medeiros                             rickm@pawsox.com